Piper J3C accident near Elyria, OH
On June 30, 2019, a Piper J3C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Elyria, OH. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 30, 2019
- Place
- Elyria, OH
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 41.330°N, 82.106°W
- NTSB ID
- 20190630X05538
Official records · CEN19FA191
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 30, 2019 at 1445 EDT, a Piper J-3C-65 airplane, N98527, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Elyria, Ohio. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to witnesses, the airplane had just performed a touch-and-go landing to runway 27. As the airplane climbed to an altitude about 75-100 ft above the ground, it rolled left and right and the engine rpm “seemed to drop off.” The airplane entered a left descending turn, then turned right before descending vertically into an open field. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot’s logbooks were not located, and his flight experience could not be determined. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane impacted a flat, open field about 330 ft south of the departure end of runway 27. The wreckage was oriented on a westerly heading in a nose-down attitude and was confined to the point of impact. The engine and firewall were pushed aft into the cockpit area. Both wings exhibited impact damage. The fuselage exhibited buckling and twisting to the right. Flight control continuity was verified from cockpit to each control surface. No fuel was found in the fuel tank. The odor of aviation fuel was present at the scene. The fuel system was compromised where the gascolator was impact-damaged and at the carburetor. The engine was partially imbedded in the ground. One of the wooden propeller blades was oriented vertically and displayed no impact damage. The second propeller blade was folded aft under the wreckage.
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing, and the pilot’s subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
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Browse: Ohio · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
